FYE Awards

FYE at Virginia Tech reflects the passion and dedication to undergraduate education and first-year students that our faculty and staff demonstrate through their time teaching first-year seminars, advising students, or coordinating programs that include peer mentoring or service learning.

Each year, the Office of First-Year Experiences nominates outstanding faculty for local and national recognition programs offered by the National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition.

Excellence in Teaching First-Year Seminars Award

This award nomination recognizes an instructor who has achieved great success in inspiring student learning, development, and success in first-year seminars.

2024-2025: Jane Robertson-Evia, College of Science
2023-2024: Buddy Howell, School of Communication (won)
2021-2022: Alma Robinson (won), Department of Physics
2020-2021: Buddy Howell, School of Communication
2019-2020: Stephen Skripak, Department of Management
2018-2019: Renee Eaton, Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise
2017-2018: Lori Blanc, Biological Sciences (won)

Outstanding First-Year Student Advocate Award

This award nomination is given to educators involved in high-impact practices for first-year student learning and success.

2024-2025: Sarah Bechtel, College of Science
2024-2025: Rob Jacks, College of Architecture, Arts, and Design
2023-2024: Nasim Schwab (semifinalist), Academic Advising Initiatives
2021-2022: Nasim Schwab (semifinalist), Academic Advising Initiatives
2020-2021: Anne Brown, University Libraries
2019-2020: Catherine Cotrupi, Campus & Community Engagement
2018-2019: Linda Granata, Food Science and Technology
2017-2018: Herbert Bruce, University Studies (won)

Jordan Smith Undergraduate Student Fellowship

The purpose of the fellowship program is to advance the leadership skills and knowledge base of undergraduate students so that they may in turn use what they learn at the Annual Conference on The First-Year Experience to enhance and encourage first-year student development on their respective campuses.

2019-2020: Ryan Nasser, Neuroscience & Creative Writing, Class of 2020, nominated